Mobile apparatus for laying track ties

ABSTRACT

In a mobile track renewal apparatus which includes an elongated track tie conveyor extending in the direction of track elongation and a turntable associated with the elongated conveyor for turning a tie 90*, the turntable includes a coplanar endless conveyor band in selective alignment with the elongated conveyor and a position transverse thereto.

United States Patent 72] Inventors Franz Plasser;

Josef Theurer, both of Johannesqasse 3, 1010 Vienna, Austria [2]} Appl. No. 864,373

[22] Filed Oct. 7, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 19, 1971 [32] Priority Oct. 16, 1968 [3 3] Austria [54] MOBILE APPARATUS FOR LAYING TRACK TIES 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 104/6, 198/21, 198/33 AC, 198/82 [51] Int. Cl ..E01b 29/06, 865g 47/30 [50] Field of Search 198/33, 2,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,850,142 9/1958 Engleson l98/33.2 2,986,261 5/196l Wenstrand 198/21 2,993,582 7/1961 Souser 198/21 2,997,001 8/1961 Scheuchzer 104/6 3,330,219 7/1967 Plasser et al. 104/2 Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch Attorney-Kurt Kelman ABSTRACT: In a mobile track renewal apparatus which includes an elongated track tie conveyor extending in the direction of track elongation and a turntable associated with the elongated conveyor for turning a tie 90, the turntable includes a coplanar endless conveyor band in selective alignment with the elongated conveyor and a position transverse thereto.

PATENTEnfim 19 I9?! 3,613,598

I E 1E... l.

1 N VEN TOR RM/z PusseR BY JOSE'F TueuReR MOBILE APPARATUS FOR LAYING TRACK TIES BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in mobile track renewal apparatus adapted to move in the direction of track elongation and comprising a series of sequentially arranged, cooperating tie conveyors leading to and from the track section to be renewed, and more particularly to an improvement in a turntable conveyor forming part of the tie conveyor system.

The present invention is particularly advantageous in connection with such an apparatus disclosed and claimed in our copending application Ser. No. 849,406, filed Aug. 12, I969, whichcomprises a support frame elongated in the track elongatio n direction andsupporting a plurality of track tie conveyors for transporting the ties to and from the working location where means is provided for taking up and laying ties. The entire conveyor system'forms a structural unit whose one end is supported on a carrier vehicle which preferably runs on the track rails and may consist of a transport and storage vehicle for the ties while its overhanging forward portion is supported on running gears, such as those more fully disclosed and claimed in our copending application Ser. No. 864,384, of even date. 1

. It is the primary object of this invention to improve the efficiency and speed of the turntable conveyor in the conveyor system which is designed to move the conveyed tie from a position parallel to the track to a position transverse thereto.

It is another object of the invention to assure the smooth cooperation between the conveyor system components associated with the turntable conveyor so as to provide a steady and uninterrupted flow of ties therebetween in carefully timed sequence.

The above and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by mounting a coplanar endless conveyor band on the conveyor turntable which is movable around a vertical pivot. The endless conveyor band may be selectively driven in either direction for receiving the ties from, or delivering them to, an elongated conveyor associated with the other conveyor and extending in the direction of track elongation. By turning the other conveyor 90, the ties supported on the endless conveyor band may be brought into selective alignment with the elongated conveyor and a position transverse thereto.

According to a preferred feature of this invention, the length of the endless conveyor band of the other conveyor is .less than the length of the ties. The vertical pivot extends through the centerline of the track, and a pair of endless conveyor bands is arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the other conveyor to extend in the direction of track elongation. The conveyor bands of the pair are so spaced as to support the ends of a tie supported on the endless conveyor band of the other conveyor when the tie is in the transverse position and the pair of endless conveyor bands is coplanar with the endless conveyor band of the other conveyor.

The pair of endless conveyor bands is preferably vertically movable into and out of the plane of the endless conveyor band of the other conveyor whereby a tie may be supported selectively by all of said conveyor bands for transferring the tie between the other conveyor and the pair of endless conveyor bands.

According to another preferred feature, the other conveyor with its endless conveyor band is pivotally adjustable between an oblique plane coplanar with the elongated conveyor and a plane parallel to the track.

While illustrated and described herein in connection with the laying of new ties, wherein ties are transported to the track section to be renewed, it will be obvious that a mere reversal of the transport direction will make this apparatus equally useful for picking up old ties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of a now preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a top view of the apparatus; and

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof taken in the direction of arrow II of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing, it should be noted that details of the tie conveying mechanisms are more fully disclosed and claimed in our copending application Ser. No. 849,406, entitled Mobile Track Maintenance Apparatus." Inasmuch as only indirectly related to this invention, they will be described only superficially in relation to the path of a tie 3 to be laid, the conveyor system being mounted on support frame 7.

The lower end of elongated tie conveyor I is seen adjacent tie turntable 8, pairs of ties 3 being received from the conveyor and deposited oncndless conveyor band 8' on turntable As shown in FIG. 2, the endless conveyor band 8 on turntable 8 cooperates with the elongated conveyor 1 to receive the ties 3 therefrom, beingpivotal about an axis transverse of the track into and out of the plane of the conveyor 1 (see small vertical arrow in FIG. 2), the entire turntable being below the level of the raised track rails 2 and the turntable being rotatable about a vertical pivot extending through the centerline of the track. I The conveyors l and 8 form a unit which rests in part on the newly laid track rails rearwardly of the illustrated forward portion of the apparatus, not shown herein but fully described in the above-mentioned copending application Ser. No. 849,406. The forward portion of the apparatus rests on the track-free ballast, being supported thereon by a running gear including full-track 9 and wheels 9', 9', which running gear may be steered by operation of the pressure fluid operated drive 9", all of which is more fully described and claimed in our copending application Ser. No. 864,384, of even date.

The length of the endless band 8' is less than that of the ties 3, and two elongated conveyor bands I2, 12 are mounted laterally adjacent the turntable at diametrically opposite sides thereof to receive the ends of the ties after the turntable has been turned The conveyors l2, 12 extend in the direction of track elongation and their spacing is such that a transversely extending tie may be supported on these conveyors. Means is provided for vertically moving the conveyor l2, 12 into and out of the plane of the endless conveyor band 8' on turntable 8 whereby a tie may be supported selectively by the turning conveyor and the elongated conveyor l2, 12 for transferring ties between them.

The conveyors l2, 12 may be lowered to the level of another conveyor means 13, illustrated as another pair of endless conveyor bands, whereon the tie is deposited for moving the same to a pair of roller conveyors 25, 25.

To provide sufficient working space at the track section where the ties are taken up and laid, the track rails are lifted and laterally spread at this point, the old as well as the new ties being supported in guides 7' of frame 7.

The short final conveyor means 25, 25 supports a single tie at a time while the tie extends transversely to the direction of track elongation. A forklift tie support is associated with the final conveyor means, being mounted between the two roller conveyors 25, 25 for transferring individual ties between the track section, i.e. to or from the ballast, and the roller conveyors. The forklift tie support 5 is vertically adjustable and pivotal. To facilitate transfer of ties between the roller conveyors and the forklift 5, the roller conveyors are adjustable in relation to the forklift, being pivotal so as to open the path for downward movement of the forklift to enable the latter to deposit a tie on the ballast.

A series of conveyor movement control means are arranged in the path of ties 3 to control the movement of selected conveyors automatically and thus to program the transport of the ties rationally from conveyor 1, which receives or transfers the ties from or to a tie transport and storage car (not shown) to forklift 5 which deposits or picks up a tie on or from the ballast. This control system will now be described in the sequence of operations as a pair of ties is moved down conveyor 1 towards forklift 5, the new ties 3 being provided with rail support plates 3" to which the rails are bolted on the ties.

A mechanically movable sensor element 26, i.e. a switch, is mounted on the lower end of conveyor 1 between this end and cooperating turntable conveyor 8. The switch 26 is depressed by a tie 3 moving thereover on its way to turntable 8 and, in the depressed position, it is ready to actuate an electrical control circuit for stopping movement of the conveyor band 1. However, actuation of the circuit in the ready-position of switch 26 will be efi'ectuated only in response to the actuation of subsequent control means in the path of the ties, to be described hereinafter. At such time, the circuit will be actuated to stop further movement of conveyor band 1 and thus to prevent jamming of ties.

Stops 27, 27 are associated with turntable 8 in direct alignment with elongated conveyor 1 in the path of the ties moving therefrom to and over endless conveyor band 8', the stops being so spaced from the turntable that the ties 3 will contact the stops whenthe midpoints of the ties are in alignment with the pivot center of the turntable, i.e. when the ties are symmetrically supported on the endless conveyor band 8', with the tie ends extending equally from both ends of the conveyor band. Contact of the ties with the stops operates switches at the stops for actuating'a control circuit operating the rotational movement of turntable 8 as well as simultaneous pivoting of the turntable from the illustrated oblique position in alignment with conveyor 1 to a horizontal position parallel to succeeding conveyor 12, l2. After a 90 turn of the turntable, the protruding ends of the now transversely positioned ties are in vertical alignment with the pair of conveyor bands l2, 12 which bands run parallel to the direction of track elongation and are positioned at diametrically opposite sides of the turntable.

In the transverse position of the ties on the turntable 8, one of the ties contacts switch 28'which actuates control circuits which stop further rotation of the turntable, cause the conveyor l2, 12 to be raised to the level of ties 3 so that the ties will rest on this conveyor pair and, if the conveyor bands of this conveyor pair'are not continuously moved, the switch 28 actuates an additional circuit causing movement of the bands so that'the ties begin to be moved off the turntable in the direction of track elongation in a position transverse to the track. The vertical movement of the conveyor 12, 12 is timed by its control circuit so that, after it reaches its highest level to receive the ties from the turntable 8, it automatically is lowered again to the level of succeeding conveyor means l3, 13. Thus, at the end of conveyor 12,12, the ties are transferred to the overlapping coplanar short conveyor bands 13, 13 which move them on.

Centered between the conveyor bands l3, 13, which are arranged parallel to, and between the conveyor bands 12, 12, is a depressable sensor element 29. When a tie moves thereover,

it depresses the element 29 which is a switch actuating a control circuit causing the turntable 8 to rotate back to its original position, wherein the endless band 8' is in alignment with elongated conveyor 1, and to pivot the turntable into its oblique position in coplanar alignment with conveyor 1. If desired, this switch 29 may also actuate the control circuit operating movement of conveyor l2, 12 so as to stop movementof the endless bands thereof.

The short conveyor bands l3, l3 transport the ties to the pair of roller conveyors 25, 25 which'advance the ties to pivotal stop 30 which is pivoted forwardly by the tie contacting the same. The sensor 30 is spaced from the end of conveyor means l3, 13 by approximately the width of a tie and,

upon being pivoted by an arriving tie contacting the sensor, it actuates a switch operating a control circuit for stopping movement of the conveyor means l3, 13 so that only a single tie is positioned on roller conveyors 25, 25 at any one time.

As the tie is advanced further on the roller conveyors, it finally contacts the adjustable strips 31. The stops 3] are aligned transversely of the track in the path of the tie, and their position may be adjusted in the direction of track elongation, i.e. they may be transversely aligned so that they define a line perpendicular to the track elongation, which is the desired end position of the tie in a straight track section, or so as to define a line enclosing an acute angle with the perpendicular, which angle is adjusted to the desired end position of the tie in a track curve. In this manner, the stops 31 constitute'a sensor establishing the desired end position of the tie on the ballast.

To avoid jamming of ties either at the end station or on conveyors l2 and 13, the switches at sensors 29 and/or 30 and switch 26 are so connected in the control circuit which operates the movementof elongated conveyor 1 that switch 26, when depressed by a tie moving over it, will operate the circuit to stop further movement of conveyor 1 when the switch at sensor 29 and/or 30 is also actuated, i.e. if a tie rests on roller conveyors 25, 25 and a tie moves on conveyors l3, 13 over the sensor 29. In this case, the conveyor 1 is halted and further supply of ties is momentarily interrupted.

The conveyor-control is more fully described and claimed in our copending application Ser. No. 864,383, filed on even date.

We claim:

1. In a mobile apparatus for transporting track ties to and from a track section to be renewed, the apparatus being adapted to move in the direction of track elongation and comprising means on the apparatus for supporting the track rails raised from said track section at a level above said section, a first moving track tie conveyor elongated in said direction, and a second track tie conveyor mounted below said level adjacent one end of thefirst conveyor and movable around a vertical pivot for turning a tie positioned thereon between said direction and a direction transverse thereto, the improvement of the second conveyor including a coplanar endless conveyor band in selectivealignment with the first conveyor and a position transverse thereto.

2. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length of the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor is less than the length of the ties, said vertical pivot extends through the centerline of the track, and further comprising a pair of endless conveyor bands arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the second conveyor and extending in the direction of track elon ation,'the conveyor bands of said pair being so spaced as to support the ends of a tie supported on the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor when the tie is in the transverse position and the pair of endless conveyor bands is coplanar with the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor.

3. In the mobile apparatus of claim 2, the pair of endless conveyor bands being vertically movable into and out of the plane of the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor whereby a tie may be supported selectively by all of said conveyor bands for transferring the tie between the second conveyor and the pair of endless conveyor bands.

4. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, the second conveyor with its conveyor band being pivotally adjustable between an oblique plane coplanar with the elongated conveyor and a plane parallel to the plane of the track.

5. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, control means actuatable by a tie being conveyed on one said conveyors for controlling the movement of one of said conveyors.

6. In a mobile apparatus fortransporting track ties to and from a track section to be renewed, the apparatus being adapted to move in the direction of track elongation and comprising means on the apparatus for supporting the track rails raised from said track section at alevel above said section, a first moving track tie conveyor elongated in said direction,

and a second track tie conveyor mounted below said level adjacent one end of the first conveyor and movable around a vertical pivot for turning a tie positioned thereon 90 between said direction and a direction transverse thereto, the improvement of the second conveyor including a coplanar endless conveyor band in selective alignment with the first conveyor and a position transverse thereto, and control means actuatable by a tie being conveyed on one of said conveyors for controlling the movement of one of said conveyors, the control means including a sensor so arranged in the path of the conveyed tie as to be actuatable by said tie when said tie is positioned on the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor with the midpoint of the tie in alignment with the vertical pivot of the second conveyor.

7 In the mobile apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensor controls actuation of the turning of the second conveyor upon being actuation by the conveyed tie.

8. In the mobile apparatus of claim 6, the second conveyor with its conveyor band being pivotally adjustable between an oblique plane coplanar with the elongated conveyor and a plane parallel to the plane of the track, the sensor controlling actuation of the pivoting of the second conveyor upon being actuated by the conveyed tie.

9. In the mobile apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control means include another sensor so arranged in the path of the conveyed tie as to be actuatable by the conveyed tie when said tie is positioned on the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor in the transverse position.

10. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, a pair of endless conveyor bands arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the second conveyor and extending in the direction of track elongation, the other sensor controlling actuation of the pair of endless conveyor bands upon being actuated by the conveyed tie. 

1. In a mobile apparatus for transporting track ties to and from a track section to be renewed, the apparatus being adapted to move in the direction of track elongation and comprising means on the apparatus for supporting the track rails raised from said track section at a level above said section, a first moving track tie conveyor elongated in said direction, and a second track tie conveyor mounted below said level adjacent one end of the first conveyor and movable around a vertical pivot for turning a tie positioned thereon 90* between said direction and a direction transverse thereto, the improvement of the second conveyor including a coplanar endless conveyor band in selective alignment with the first conveyor and a position transverse thereto.
 2. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length of the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor is less than the length of the ties, said vertical pivot extends through the centerline of the track, and further comprising a pair of endless conveyor bands arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the second Conveyor and extending in the direction of track elongation, the conveyor bands of said pair being so spaced as to support the ends of a tie supported on the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor when the tie is in the transverse position and the pair of endless conveyor bands is coplanar with the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor.
 3. In the mobile apparatus of claim 2, the pair of endless conveyor bands being vertically movable into and out of the plane of the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor whereby a tie may be supported selectively by all of said conveyor bands for transferring the tie between the second conveyor and the pair of endless conveyor bands.
 4. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, the second conveyor with its conveyor band being pivotally adjustable between an oblique plane coplanar with the elongated conveyor and a plane parallel to the plane of the track.
 5. In the mobile apparatus of claim 1, control means actuatable by a tie being conveyed on one said conveyors for controlling the movement of one of said conveyors.
 6. In a mobile apparatus for transporting track ties to and from a track section to be renewed, the apparatus being adapted to move in the direction of track elongation and comprising means on the apparatus for supporting the track rails raised from said track section at a level above said section, a first moving track tie conveyor elongated in said direction, and a second track tie conveyor mounted below said level adjacent one end of the first conveyor and movable around a vertical pivot for turning a tie positioned thereon 90* between said direction and a direction transverse thereto, the improvement of the second conveyor including a coplanar endless conveyor band in selective alignment with the first conveyor and a position transverse thereto, and control means actuatable by a tie being conveyed on one of said conveyors for controlling the movement of one of said conveyors, the control means including a sensor so arranged in the path of the conveyed tie as to be actuatable by said tie when said tie is positioned on the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor with the midpoint of the tie in alignment with the vertical pivot of the second conveyor.
 7. In the mobile apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensor controls actuation of the turning of the second conveyor upon being actuation by the conveyed tie.
 8. In the mobile apparatus of claim 6, the second conveyor with its conveyor band being pivotally adjustable between an oblique plane coplanar with the elongated conveyor and a plane parallel to the plane of the track, the sensor controlling actuation of the pivoting of the second conveyor upon being actuated by the conveyed tie.
 9. In the mobile apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control means include another sensor so arranged in the path of the conveyed tie as to be actuatable by the conveyed tie when said tie is positioned on the endless conveyor band of the second conveyor in the transverse position.
 10. In the mobile apparatus of claim 9, a pair of endless conveyor bands arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the second conveyor and extending in the direction of track elongation, the other sensor controlling actuation of the pair of endless conveyor bands upon being actuated by the conveyed tie. 